Knock-down awning device and package



1968 E. M. HEMENWAY KNOCK-DOWN AWNING DEVICE AND PACKAGE Filed Dec. 27, 1966 'INVENTOR. EARL M. HEMENWAY f ll am/s1; 5 UWAITQ United States Patent 3,417,764 KNOCK-DOWN AWNING DEVICE AND PACKAGE Earl M. Hemenway, 1472 Hoover St., Eureka, Calif. 95501 Filed Dec. 27, 1966, Ser. No. 604,918 4 Claims. (Cl. 135-5) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An awning device adapted to be quickly assembled from straight, rigid frame elements to provide a support for an awning, and which support is adjustable for releasable securement to tables, or the like, of different lengths, and to support said awning over such tables and which support and awning may be quickly knocked down to form a compact package, without the aid of tools and wlthout removing screws, bolts and the like that are susceptible to loosening and loss.

Background of the invention Heretofore, tables for outdoor dining are usually circular where an overhead protecting awning is provided, the latter being of the collapsible umbrella type having a central supporting standard and a suitable socket is provided for said standard. Picnic tables Commonly used in public and private picnic grounds normally have oblong tops of different lengths and are not provided with protective awnings.

Summary of invention The present invention provides a frame for a flexible awning, which awning may be of duck or other suitable material, and which frame comprises quickly separable straight, relatively short substantially uniform lengths of rigid tubing arranged in telescopic relation to removably hold a protective awning over an oblong table and to draw the owning tout when in use, the frame being adjustable to tables of various lengths to extend fully over each without altering the length of the owning or distorting it, and which frame is adapted to rigidly, but releasably clamped to tables of various lengths. The pieces forming the frame and the awning are quickly assembled and disassembled and adjusted for securement to different length tables without the use of removable connecting screws, bolts, or other small parts that may become loose and lost, nor are tools required, and when disassembled the separate, straight frame elements which may be no greater than three feet in length for an eight-foot table top, may be quickly wrapped in the awning with the frame members in side-by-side, substantially adjoining, relation for easy stowage in a small space in an automobile or storeroom.

Other objects and adavntages will appear in the description and drawings.

Brief description of drawings In the drawings, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the awning device in set-up condition secured to a table.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, side-elevational view, of one end of the awning device of FIG. 1 broken in height and width to accommodate the view to the sheet, and partly in section and with a portion broken away to more clearly show structure.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary elevational view of the lower portion of the device shown in FIG. 2 as seen at a right angle to FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary part-sectional, part-elevational view of the central portion of one of the side eave pieces ice of the awning support as seen from below the awning, the view .being broken in length.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view at line 55 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a reduced size view of the frame members of FIG. 1 disassembled and in a position in side-by-side relation on the awning preparatory to rolling up the awning to enclose the frame members shown between the longitudinally extending edges of the awning.

Description of preferred embodiment In detail, a standard picnic table is generally designated 1 (FIG. 1), which table includes an oblong top 2, the ends of which project beyond the supporting end legs 3 below each end of the top.

The awning frame for supporting the awning elevated above the table comprises a pair of corresponding sets 4 of end frame members. A description of one set will suffice for the other, as the sets are the same.

Each set comprises a base generally designated 5, that includes a horizontal upper plate 6 (FIG. 2) and a lower horizontally disposed plate 7 spaced therebelow and in opposed relation to the top plate, the upper and lower plates 6, 7 being connected along one of their edges by a vertical plate 8. A vertically disposed clamping screw 9 threadedly extends through the lower plate 7, and a clamping element 10 is swivelly or rotatably carried by the upper end of the screw 9 while a manually engageable member 11 for manually rotating the screw is carried by the lower end of the screw below plate 7. The spacing between the plate 6 and element 10 is such as to readily receive an end of the table top 2 therebetwcen when the screw 9 and element 10 are in extended position so that the base member 5 may be readily clamped to the end of the table top between plate 6 and element 10.

It is seen that the base 5 comprises a modified C-clamp in which plate 6 is substantially larger than the stationary jaw of an ordinary C-clamp, and the vertical connecting web 8 is also much wider so as to provide an adequate, rigid base for supporting the awning including the frame for the latter.

Plate 6 is provided with an upstanding boss 13 (FIG. 3) centrally between its end edges, and rigid therewith, in which boss the lower end of a vertically upwardly extending tube section 14 is rigidly secured.

At opposite sides of boss 13, and rigid with plate 6, are upstanding ears 15 disposed in a common plane with boss 13, each ear being formed with an opening for a pivot 16.

A pair of upstanding tube sections 18 extend upwardly from cars 15, the lower ends 17 of said tube sections being flattened and apertured for a pivot 16, which pivots are preferably secured against loosening or removal so as not to become lost.

Tube sections 18 may each be of substantially the same length as section 14, and their lower pivoted ends are relatively close to the boss 13 (FIGS, 3, 6) so they may be swung from angularly outwardly extending positions relative to section 14, to collapsed positions relatively close to, and alongside said section 14, as seen in FIG. 6.

Each tubular section 18 of each pair thereof is connected with the section 14 adjacent thereto by a pair of collapsible locking brace members 20 that are pivotally connected together at one of their ends by a pivot 21 (FIG. 6) and their opposite ends are respectively pivotally connected at 22 (FIG. 1) with ears 23, one ear being rigid with the tubular section 14 and the other being rigidly connected with one of the tubular sections 18. These brace members correspond to the ordinary collapsible locking braces used for the legs of card tables in that they releasably lock together when in extended positions in substantially longitudinal alignment, but with the pivot slightly past center, and which members are releasable from locking relation when their pivotally connected ends are moved back across a straight line extending between pivots 22. Means, such as a tab 24 (FIG. 2) is rigid with one brace member and extends over the other to limit the pivotal movement of the members about pivot 21 when in locked relation.

When the brace members of each pair thereof are in their extended locked relation to each other, the sections 18 are in their upwardly angularly outward relation to the section 18 as seen in FIG. 1.

Pivots 22 are secured to cars 23 against. removal therefrom so as not to become loosened and separated from said ears and the members 2 0. Otherwise they would be likely to be lost and the arrangement of said sections 18, 14 and the members 28 is such that there: is no necessity for removal of the members 20 from said sections 18, 14.

The central tubular section 14 on each base 5 telescopically receives an upper tube 25 (FIG. 2) in its upper open end, and the tube 25 may be approximately as long as each tube 14.

A right angle T-fitting 26 (FIG. 2) is rigidly secured to the upper end of each tubular section 25. Each fitting provides a head having a pair of horizontally aligned arms 27 and a through, open ended bore in said head and arms,

and a depending leg 28 in which the upper end of tubular section 25 is rigidly secured.

An elongated spring arm 29 disposed within the lower end portion of tube 25 is secured at one end to a side of said lower end portion and extends longitudinally of said tube (FIG. 2). The other end of spring arm 29 carries a button 30 rigid therewith, which button is adapted to project through a side opening in tubular section 25, and also through one of a vertical row of spaced openings 33 formed in one side of section 14 in which tube 25 is slidably fitted.

By the foregoing structure, the upper tubular section 25 may be moved upwardly from a substantially fully enclosed position, within the lower section 14, to any one of a plurality of upwardly extended distances relative to section 14 according to the opening 33 within which button 30 projects. The outer end of button 30 may be manually depressed to release the upper section 25 for up or down movement and button 30 will automatically snap into the next adjacent opening 33 to lock the sections 14, 25 together until button 30 is again depressed.

The upper ends of sections 18 are each provided with a T-fitting 34 (FIGS. 2, 6) corresponding to fitting 26, which fittings are rigidly secured to sections 18.

Slidably fitted within the aligned arms 27 of each fitting 26 is a horizontally extending tubular section 35. Sections 35, on section 25 of each end frame set 4, are, in turn, telescopically fitted at their adjacent ends within a central tubular section 36. Sections 35, 36 are preferably approximately the same length as each section 14, 18, 25, and where each of said sections is three feet in length, the sections 35 may be extended from sections 36 to support an awning over a table that is eight feet in length, or approximately six inches of each section 35 will project into each of the opposite ends of section 36.

A similar structure is at the upper ends of tubular sections 18, in which a horizontal tubular section 37 (FIG. 2) is slidably fitted in the horizontally aligned arms of each T-fitting 34 and when the awning frame is in the position shown in FIG. 1 the adjacent ends of the sections 37 at each side of the frame are telescopically fitted in the opposite end portions of a central tubular section 38 that corresponds to the section 36. The lengths of the sections 37, 38 are the same as the lengths of sections 35, 36.

The flexible awning generally designated 39 (FIG. 1) is rectangular, having a length approximately equal to the lengths of the sets of sections 35, 36, and 37, 38, when the sections of said sets are in substantially their maximum extended positions.

A decorative fringe 40 may be secured along each of the longitudinally extending edges of the awning 39, and centrally between the ends of said awning, along each of 4 said edges. A flexible sleeve 43 (FIGS. 1, 2, 4, 5) is secured by stitching, or any other suitable means, to said awning along each of the fringes, said sleeve being at the underside of the awning when the latter is in the position shown in FIG. 1. The central tubular section 38 is removably supported within each sleeve 43.

Adjacent to the outer ends of the tubular sections 37 and between the T-fittings 34 and the end edges of the awning 39 are sleeves 44 that are similar to sleeves 43, but much shorter (FIGS. 2, 6) through which the outer ends of said sections 37 slidably extend.

In operation, the end frame sets 4 may be clamped to the ends of the table by the C-clamps or base member 5. The brace members 20 are moved to lock in their extended positions, swinging the upper ends of the tubular sections 18 to upwardly and outwardly extended positions as seen in FIG. 1. The ridge pieces, each made up of end tubular sections 35 and central section 36, are affixed to the upper ends of the upper tubular sections, the latter being in collapsed positions with the T-fittings 26 projecting above the upper ends of the lower tubular sections 14. This is accomplished by slidably inserting the outer ends of tubular sections 35 through the heads of the T-fittings 26 either before or after the inner ends of said sections 35 have been connected at their adjacent ends by being fitted in the opposite ends of the central tubular sections 36.

The central tubular section 38 of each eave-piece assembly of tubular sections 37, 38 may be inserted into each sleeve 43 before the sections 37, 38 are inserted.

Each set of tube sections 37, 38 may be designated an eave piece, and normally the sections 38 are inserted into sleeves 43 before the sections 37 are inserted through the bores in the heads of the T-fittings 34 and into sleeves 44.

As will later be noted, one of the tubes 37 may remain in each tubular section 38, and one of the tubes 35 may remain in the section 36 when the awning device is collapsed, hence to set up the device, the tubes 35, 37 so retained in sections 36, 38 are merely extended.

When the frame including the ridge and cave pieces and awning are fully assembled and the bases 5 are clamped to the ends of the tables, by extending the upper sections 25 of the end frame sets 4, the awning 39 will be drawn taut, as seen in FIG. 1. Prior to elevating the ridge piece, the awning was draped thereover, being connected along its longitudinally extending edges to the eave pieces. The buttons 30 carried by the lower ends of tubular sections 25 are adapted to automatically snap into one of the openings 33 in the upper ends of the lower tubular sections 14 to maintain the awning taut, and the tubular sections 25 may be elevated until the awning 39 is taut.

If the table top 2 is shorter than the maximum spacing permitted between the end frame sets 4, it is merely necessary to move the sets 4 closer together the desired distance, the tubular sections 35, 37 being slidable in the bores provided in the heads of T-fittings 26, 34. Thus a neat appearance of the awning is maintained, without sacrificing the maximum awning protection at one or both ends of the awning. In tables shorter than the maximum length provided for by the ridge and eave pieces, the fittings 27, 34 enable an overhang of the awning at one or both ends of the awning device, which is desirable.

The broad, relatively large base plate 6 provides a firm support on the table for the awning and frame therefor. The clamping screws 9 are preferably not removable from the lamps and the lamps remain part of the end frame sets, nor are there any small parts, such as screws or bolts that are required to set up or disassemble the frame.

In disassembling the awning, the central tubular sections 38 of the cave pieces may remain in sleeves 43 and one of the end tubular sections 37 moved to substantially fully collapsed position within each section 38, while the other is withdrawn. Also, one of the tubular sections 35 may be substantially fully telescoped within the central tubular section 36 of the ridge piece, while the other is withdrawn. Sections 37 are withdrawn from sleeves 44 and T-fittings 34, and sections 35 are withdrawn from T-fittings 27, This leaves the end frame sections 4 bare of ridge and cave pieces and the awning. Preferably the upper tubular sections 25 are collapsed within lower tubular sections 14 as the first step in disassembling the awning device.

Upon breaking the lock between brace members by forceable upward movement of the joint between each pair of members 20, the sections 18 will swing to positions alongside the tubular member 14 therebetween.

As already mentioned, all of the tubular members are of substantially the same length which, in the example, may be three feet, hence, as seen in FIG. 6, substantially all of the tubular sections may be positioned on the awning between the sections 38 that remain in sleeves 43 (although sections 38 may be removed if desired) and the awning is quickly rolled up with its projecting ends folded over, to provide a unitary elongated package free from any loose parts that may be vital to setting up the awning, and that may be lost. In FIG. 6 it should be noted that one of the sections 35, 37 is fully collapsed in each section 36, 38 and the sections are enclosed in sections 14. The overall vertical dimension of each C-clamp is only slightly greater than three inches when the screws 9 are screwed up to project a minimum distance below the lower plate 7, hence, this length added to the tubular sections is negligible.

Conventional plastic plugs 45 may be secured in the open ends of the sections 35, 37 that are remote from the ends that extend into sections 36, 38 to close said open ends.

The awning, when supported over the table, is of gable roof type in which the portions at opposite sides of the ridge pieces slant downwardly to the eave pieces, and when the tubular sections are separated and in side-by-side relation as seen in FIG. 6, the tubular sections 38 remaining in the sleeves 43 greatly facilitate forming the compact package by rolling the awning around the end frame sections and around the tubular sections 36 and sections and 37 that are not enclosed within tubular sections 36 and 38. One or more straps or the like may secure the finished roll and folded over ends of the awning against unrolling.

From the foregoing detailed description, it is seen that, in a broad sense, the invention comprises a knockdown awning device comprising a pair of sets of horizontally spaced, vertically extending frame members, each set including a base adapted to be releasably secured to be releasably secured to the end of a table or the like, and horizontally extending awning supports are releasably connected to and extend between the upper ends of said sets of frame members for supporting the awning elevated above the table to which the bases are connected.

The said awning supports are slidable longitudinally thereof relative to the upper ends of the sets of frame members to enable moving said sets and their bases, as a unit, toward and away from each other for securing the bases to different length tables without sacrificing the effective maximum length of the awning, and also the awning device is adapted to be quickly disassembled, and when so disassembled, the separate parts comprise elongated pieces that are free from screws, bolts and the like for setting up and disassembling the device, and which pieces may quickly be rolled up in the awning to provide a compact package convenient for shipping or stowage in an automobile or other place. Also, certain parts of the frame may be releasably carried by the awning after disassembly of the device to facilitate rolling the awning about the remaining parts, and for holding the awning against undesirable wrinkling and folding during said rolling and afterward when the device is stowed away.

It will be obvious to anyone skilled in the art that modifications and substitutions may be made in the structure disclosed, and it is not my desire to limit the invention so disclosed, except as may be necessitated by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A knock-down awning device comprising:

(a) a pair of sets of horizontally spaced, opposed, generally vertically extending frame members, each set including a single base to which the lower ends of the frame members are secured, and means on each base for releasably securing it to opposite ends of a table,

(b) a plurality of horizontally elongated awning supports extending in horizontally spaced and parallel relation between the upper ends of said sets of frame members for supporting an awning thereon in a position extending substantially from end to end of said supports, and an awning supported on said supports and extending substantially from end to end of the latter,

(c) connecting means rigid with said frame members at their upper ends connecting said supports to said frame members and supporting said supports for slidable movement of said connecting means longitudinally of said supports to enable securing said bases to the ends of tables of different lengths without sacrificing the maximum length of said awning,

(d) means intermediate the ends of said supports for securing said awning to said supports in a position extending substantially from end to end of said supports,

(e) each of said sets comprising a central frame member and a pair of side frame members respectively at each of two opposite sides of said central frame member extending upwardly from said base in divergently extending positions relative to said central frame member, and a connector connecting said pair of frame members with said base for swinging from said divergently extending positions to positions in substantially parallel side by side relation to said central frame member, and vice versa,

(f) holding means intermediate the ends of the frame members of each set and separate from said awning and from said base connecting said side frame members with said central frame member for releasably holding said side frame members in said divergently extending positions.

2. In a device as defined in claim 1:

(g) said supports comprising a ridge piece and an eave piece spaced from said ridge piece at each side of the latter free for movement with said pair of side frame members toward said ridge piece upon said holding means being released from holding said side frame members in said divergently extending position,

(h) said central vertical frame member being rigidly secured at its lower end to said base against swinging relative to the latter and relative to said side frame members and connected to one end of said ridge piece by one of said connecting means,

(i) said side frame members each being connected at its upper end to an end of each eave piece by one of said connecting means.

3. A knockdown awning device comprising;

(a) a pair of sets of horizontally spaced, opposed, generally vertically extending frame members, each set including a base to which the lower ends of the frame members are secured, and means on each base for releasably securing it to opposite ends of a table,

(b) a plurality of horizontally elongated awning supports extending in horizontally spaced and parallel relation between the upper ends of said sets of frame members for supporting an awning thereon in a position extending substantially from end to end of said supports, and an awning supported on said supports and extending substantially from end to end of the latter,

() connecting means rigid wtih said frame members at their upper ends connecting said supports to said frame members and supporting said supports for slidable movement of said connecting means longitudinally of said supports to enable securing said bases to the ends of tables of different lengths without sacrificing the maximum length of said awning,

((1) means for securing said awning to said supports in a position extending substantially from end to end of said supports,

(e) each of said supports comprising a central elongated tube and a pair of tubular sections telescopically slidably fitted opposite ends of said central tube for movement from collapsed positions substantially retracted within said central tube to extended positions projecting substantial distances from the opposite ends of said central tube,

(f) said connecting means comprising T-fittings each having a head formed with a through, open ended bore within which the projecting ends of said tubular sections are slidably supported,

(g) central sleeves on said awning respectively along two of the opposite edges of the latter through within which said central tube is releasably held, and end sleeves on said awning at the ends of said opposite edges of said awning into which the projecting outer ends of said tubes are releasably held.

4. A knock-down awning device comprising;

(a) a pair of sets of horizontally spaced, opposed generally vertically extending frame members, each set including a single base to which the lower ends of the frame members are secured, and means on each base for releasably securing it to opposite ends of a table,

(b) a plurality of horizontally elongated awning supports extending in horizontally spaced and parallel relation between the upper ends of said sets of frame members for supporting an awning thereon in a position extending substantially from end to end of said supports, and an awning supported on said supports and extending substantially from end to end of the latter,

(0) connecting means rigid with said frame members at their upper ends connecting said supports to said frame members and supporting said supports for slidable movement of said connecting means longitudinally of said supports to enable securing said bases to the ends of tables of different lengths without sacrificing the maximum length of said awning,

(d) means for securing said awning to said supports in a position extending substantially from end to end of said supports,

(e) each of said bases comprising a side opening C- clamp having an upper, relatively large plate adapted to engage and to extend over the upper side of the top of said table and a lower member movable toward said plate for clamping said top between said plate and said lower member,

(f) the lower ends of the frame members of each set being secured to one of said plates and projecting upwardly therefrom,

(g) each set of frame members comprising a central upwardly extending tube rigidly secured to one of said plates in vertically extending position against swinging relative thereto, and a pair of longitudinally inextensible tubes at opposite sides of each central tube pivotally connected at their lower ends with said plates for swinging of their upper ends toward and away from the central tube therebetween and extending divergently upwardly relative to each other and to said central tube when said upper ends are swung away from said central tube,

(11) means for releasably holding the pair of tubes of each set of frame members in said divergently upwardly extending relation to the central tube therebetween,

(i) said central tube being in two sections telescopically fitted together to provide an upper tube and a lower tube with said upper tube movable upwardly to project different distances at its upper end above said lower tube, and means for releasably holding the upper tube of said central tube projecting from said lower tubes at each of said different distances,

(j) said supports including a horizontal ridge piece extending between and releasably connected with the upper ends of the upper tubes of said central tube for tauting said canopy when the latter is secured to the supports extending between the upper ends of the tubes at opposite sides of said central tube and when said holding means holds said tubes in said divergently upwardly extending relation and the upper tubes of said central tube are moved upwardly to one of said difierent distances for elevating said ridge piece.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,014,336 9/1935 Marthaler 135-7.1 3,176,699 4/1965 Rollins 135-5 3,323,827 6/1967 Lundby 135l XR KENNETH DOWNEY, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

